American officials revealed today that the thwarted Al Qaeda suicide bomber who planned to blow up a U.S.-bound jet on Osama bin Laden's birthday was actually a double-agent working with the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, according to multiple news reports.

The New York Times reports that the Yemeni-based agent infiltrated Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, or AQAP, one of the most dangerous affiliates in the Al Qaeda network, and was able to deliver both the innovative underwear bomb and crucial information about the terrorist cell to the CIA after leaving Yemen last week.

Officials did not disclose the agent's identity or nationality, but confirmed that he was not CIA. He is now safe in Saudi Arabia, according to foreign and American intelligence officials.